Does Floyd Mayweather Jr. have what it takes to be the people’s champion?

Posted in Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on October 24th, 2009 by admin

BY: Rota Em

The weigh-in debacle, where Floyd Mayweather Jr. blatantly overshot the agreed upon poundage, was what sealed the deal for me. It was, shall we say, the curtain call for any shot of an upset win for the Mexican warrior. I felt that Juan Manuel Marquez had a puncher’s chance, albeit, a minimal risk overall but he still did have the opportunity to catch the not-so-flashy Money Man with some sort of winging punch. But it never came. It never came because that is not how Dynamita fights. He is a tactician who tries to adapt to the habits and tendencies of his opponent. He did so to Manny Pacquiao a couple times in their two bouts but that was because the Pacman was willing to take risks. I guess that’s why one is considered the people’s champion while the other is nothing more than a recent retiree making a return with an expected points victory over a much smaller opponent.

So what does it mean to be the people’s champ?

I’m a firm believer that being a fan of the sport supersedes being a scribe to the sport.

It’s been ongoing for years and years now where the Mayweather family have been running their mouths with talk of being ‘the best’. In their journey towards attaining the legendary status that Jr. wants so badly they must, however, take risks. The same goes for a Vegas bet, you lay down $100 dollars and your winnings/losses reflect the initial bet meaning that you won’t strike it rich really. But if you put it all on the line, imagine the rewards. Instead, Floyd speaks of masses and masses of return while he only wagers chump change.

This will not fly if you want to be renowned as the people’s champion. Even with his win over the forcefully bloated Marquez, his rank in the pound for pound ladder will not jump back to the top. Besides prior to his retirement, Pacquiao was already making moves and knocking on his door as the sport’s best p4p.

Here are a couple paths the Mayweather camp can take to try and salvage their tainted status:

1.        He must fight a legit, primed welterweight. Not just ANY welterweight, a true champion-caliber 147 too. He is at a point in his career where every fight should be a big fight. Even Shane Mosley is stirring up talks about a showdown with Andre Berto while the Mayweather camp, once again, are prepping the public for another trickery in Saul Alvarez. Yes he is undefeated, but so is Arthur Abraham. Why not pick a fight with him instead? Yet they’d rather drop a measly risk on the table and expect people to pay for their next mansion, or tax bill in certain cases.

2.        He must try to take over the welterweight division; there’s no one straight shot to the top of the hill anymore. This is asking a lot from a character that is habitually prone to giving much less than he takes. If Mayweather can take on the division’s top rated players and win, he will start to cement his own legacy. And right now, a start in doing such is where he is at. He is far from being the legend that his father and uncle have been whispering in his ear about being.

3.        Immediately dismiss talks of a Saul Alvarez fight altogether. C’mon, let’s be real. No one wants to see this fight come to fruition. I introduced my younger brother to the sweet science and even he, while in grade school, is ashamed of taking any part of a Mayweather-Alvarez bout. His responses were, “Why not Mosley? Why not wait for Pacquiao-Cotto? Why not Margarito? How about Paul Williams? Can it be someone I’ve heard of at least?”

4.        Lay down the guns and give some sort of window for financial talks. Mayweather must not indirectly avoid a fight by pricing himself too high. Matter-of-fact if Floyd Mayweather Jr. was an automobile and not a fighter, I wouldn’t pay more than he’s worth—so why should we, the fans and boxing’s most important role-makers, pay for a Mercedez when he is nothing more than a top of the line Kia at the moment? Let’s be honest a 50-50 split is his best shot with Pacquiao because personally I think the risk-taking, smaller man should get a bigger piece of the pie if they shall ever meet.

Boxing has already been going through its own ups and downs; it doesn’t need its key players to help sink the ship even more. With figures like Miguel Cotto, Israel Vazquez, and Paul Williams just to name a few, we are consistently reminded by how a real champion looks and acts. In an interview with  boxingScene.com earlier this month Williams officially called out Mayweather Jr., Mosley, Hopkins, and even Arthur Abraham—while already on task to face Pavlik before the injury. Now that’s brash and brauns at it’s finest. And Kelly Pavlik is no Saul Alvarez mind you.

A week before that interview, Williams told FanHouse the following:”I am a throw-back fighter. We’re in the years of 2000, but I’m a throw-back fighter because I’ll fight anybody. It doesn’t matter who it is… Guys talk all of this stuff that they’re the best and this and that, but they won’t fight certain guys. They’ll stay and fight littler guys.”

Once again, that is brash and brauns at its finest.

I admit that Floyd Mayweather does not have that far to climb in terms of being a true great idol in the sport of boxing. But the next step can only come from him and the choices he makes in the coming years.

In my eyes I see at least three consecutive mistakes made by the Mayweather camp prior to and after the retirement that immensely hurt their reputation and overall worth. The first was their choice to NOT rematch Oscar De la Hoya after the split decision victory. I believe that the slimliness of the decision made little Floyd get on his bicycle although I felt he would’ve beat Oscar via UD, instead of SD, the second time around. The second mistake was to make Ricky Hatton jump to 147 pounds in their fight, a weight in which Luis Collazo gave Hatton big, big fits in. He should’ve proved his worth by fighting the Hitman in his home turf of 140, where he’d never been defeated, instead. This took much luster off their stoppage win. Lastly is the aforementioned Marquez weight catastrophe. That is the equivalent of Pacquiao fighting featherweight titlist Chris John, who beat Marquez in 2006, at 140 pounds and then claiming greatness from it. It just wouldn’t work for Pacquiao’s value as a fighter, much like how it doesn’t work for Mayweather now.

Looks like Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a lot of work ahead of him. The good news is that Paul Williams’ December 5th showdown with Kelly Pavlik is destined to never happen so there’s a start. Another start would be to get in line for the Pacquiao-Cotto winner. Heck, he can even strike a deal with Shane Mosley right now. I doubt Sugar Shane would turn down a fight with little Floyd at 140, 147, or even 154 I’d be willing to bet that he’d even fight Floyd at full-fledge middleweight.

The real question is: Does Floyd Mayweather Jr. have what it takes to be the people’s champion?

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Marquez takes his best shot at Mayweather but misses, Pacquiao next

Posted in Amir Khan, Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Juan Diaz, Latest boxing news, Malignaggi, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on September 24th, 2009 by admin

BY: Vitaliy Shaposhnikov

A cascade of emotions raced through me as I witnessed the fall of one of the greatest pound for pound fighters to Floyd Mayweather Jr. There were of course expectations from Marquez, and even certain degree of hope. Unfortunately once the fight started, I realized that the tale of David and Goliath would not be replayed tonight.

Donald Trump once said: “Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.” While I would not believe this before, thinking that Money Mayweather was in this sport only for the cash flow, I now do. Floyd Jr. came in prepared both mentally and physically, and looked superb. Not only was he bigger and faster than Marquez in this fight, he was also the aggressor, which is a rare way to fight for him. The first round of the fight was a déjà vu in a way, because he knocked Juan down with a left hook, almost a check hook some may say. It was both a Déjà Vu of the way he ended Ricky Hatton as well as the way Pacquiao disposed of Ricky: fast! He was toying with Juan throughout the whole fight. Someone in the audience kept yelling: “Mayweather, don’t play with your food,” which struck me hard. That’s exactly what it looked like. Mayweather was playing with Marquez like cats like to play with a mouse before the devour it. He smiled at Juan, threw wild lighting quick jabs, and moved around the ring with such ease and grace that it made it seem as though he was having genuine fun. Overall, Mayweather was able to land the whole spectrum of punches, catching Juan with hooks and straight rights.

Marquez on the other hand, had absolutely nothing to offer to the fans. He landed a nice left while Mayweather was on the ropes in the third round, and that was just about it. Floyd was too fast and too slick for Juan. Landing a head shot was something that Marquez just could not do, no matter how hard he attempted. At the end of every round, Juan flurried, which proved fruitless.

Nevertheless, Marquez went the whole twelve rounds, showing determination and heart. He knew that he was losing the fight, and there was very little chance for anything to change.

 

Now we all know the only person that comes between what would be the greatest boxing event of all time Pacquiao vs Mayweather is Miguel Cotto. Boxing fans will  hold their breath until Novemebr 14th, knowing the dream match for the p4p championship  can come true.

Mayweather vs Marquez Super Fight Photos

 

 

 

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All time bad decisions, how does Diaz- Malignaggi rank?

Posted in Amir Khan, Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Juan Diaz, Latest boxing news, Malignaggi, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on August 29th, 2009 by admin

BY: Rota Em

When fighters step into the ring, they are assuming that they will receive a fair fight. There are judges, referees, medical personnel, sanctioning bodies, and commissions set in place to make sure anything that can be seen before-hand is addressed so nothing should go wrong. 

But what about the decisions from the panel of judges? Is there no check and balance for the almighty deciding body?

When a judge, or judges, make the wrong call is there anything that can be done to rectify it?

I can understand the scrutiny that comes with the ability to attest fight decisions but sometimes it is more than warranted. At the very least, the specific situations that are worthy of a second look should receive just that.

Normally, in the classroom, when we add up an equation incorrectly the teacher has the ability and opportunity to correct us. But what about when a judge adds points incorrectly—why can’t anything be done about it even if it IS after the fact? Fights have been deemed ‘no contests’ when a fighter fails a post-fight drug test so it IS possible to go the other way. If it means that the original decision has to be changed, wouldn’t it be worth it in the face of fairness?

This past weekend at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, we saw another controversial decision go in favor of a hometown hero. Juan Diaz got the nod on all three judges’ scorecards for the unanimous points victory. For that fight, we are not debating the decision to give the win to Diaz, considering how close the fight was and their difference in styles, but what we are questioning is why the scores were so wide. Many people that caught the fight, either live on HBO broadcast or in person, saw exactly what the judges saw so why would there be such a gap for the hometown favorite? If anything, the close decision should’ve been awarded to the visitor, Paulie Malignaggi but one judge even saw Diaz win with the absurd score of 118-110. Aside from Lennox Lewis pronouncing the Magic Man’s name incorrectly (he referred to Paulie as Maggiano), two of the three judges must’ve been tuning into the wrong fight altogether.


Not only did Malignaggi control the pace of the fight, but he kept Diaz at bay with his jabs and swift footwork. After the fight the Magic Man saved no face in addressing the robbery that had just occurred a few minutes prior. Although he did no favors for himself in the manner of his lash out, he did have a right to confront the unfair and unjust treatment.

I am embarrassed to say that I cannot cover all of the bad and controversial decisions that have occurred throughout the history of the sweet science, but we can briefly list off some from recent memory.

Joel Casamayor- Jose Armando Santa Cruz. The scores were 114-113 for Casamayor (twice) and 114-113 for Santa Cruz even after a 10-8 1st round. Ron McNair, Frank Lombardi, and Tony Paolillo held Santa Cruz’s fate in their hands as they gift-wrapped the win for Casamayor who held and back-peddled throughout the entire fight. They even let him open the present in the ring. Even the 114-113 score in favor of Santa Cruz was silly considering he should’ve been well ahead; I saw Casamayor winning only two rounds.

Ricky Hatton-Luis Collazo 115-112 (twice) 114-113 all for Hatton. With the win he takes Collazo’s belt although I agreed with the many fans ringside and at home who felt that the Brit didn’t do enough to take the championship. After a flash knockdown to a back-peddling Collazo, Hatton did not show that he belonged in the welterweight division. After the fight he vacated and went back home to 10 stone (140 lbs). In his next visit to the welters Hatton was smashed by Mayweather.

Mayweather-Castillo 1, April 2002. In his move up to 135-lbs, Mayweather encountered an underestimated Mexican warrior in Castillo. I had Castillo winning rounds 3,5,6,7,8,10,11,12. Mayweather took rounds 1,2,4,and 9. There was a point deduction for Castillo for hitting on a break in the 8th, a round that Castillo won. This gave Mayweather an extra point. A round later Mayweather blatantly threw a punch after the bell in which the ref did not address. In the 10th, however, Mayweather was deducted his own point for a forearm as if it was to make up for the previous non-call. This was also a Castillo round making it 10-8. Early in the championship rounds (11th), Mayweather stood toe-to-toe with Castillo and was outworked as he took punishment downstairs. Knowing that he wasn’t the favorite, Castillo came out blazing in the final round never taking a break and out-hustling Mayweather to the final bell in a round in which he clearly won. HBO’s Harold Lederman scored the bout 115-111 for Castillo to retain his belt. The scores were 116-111 and 115-111 (twice) to give Mayweather the go-ahead nod as he was given a Christmas present in the middle of spring. In their rematch, Floyd was more convincing in his win but, ironically, the scorecards were closer than their first fight. Go figure.

Pernell Whitaker-Luis Ramirez 1988. This was Sweet Pea’s first title shot and the first robbery of his career. He had won 9 of 12 rounds, at the very least, but went on to lose a split decision. He avenged this SD loss with a clear cut UD win a year later. Four years after that, he was mugged again. Read on.

Pernell Whitaker-Julio C. Chavez Sr. 1993– Draw. Whitaker won 9 of 12 rounds, give or take one or two swing rounds. This fight made the front page of Sports Illustrated that same year with a bolded six-letter word (“Robbed”) to accompany the image of Sweet Pea popping Chavez with a stiff right jab. Not only was the Chavez-Taylor fight controversial enough when referee Richard Steele halted a fight in which Taylor was well ahead with two seconds remaining, but to cap it with this draw is just plain unsportsmanlike. Chavez told SI the morning after the fight that he felt “a little beat up.” When the highly partisan Mexican crowd knows that their hero had lost but still got awarded the “w”, then you know you’ve just been robbed in broad daylight. 

Miguel Huerta-Kid Diamond. 114-113 Kid Diamond (twice) and 116-111 Huerta. I had it 116-111 for Huerta who averted damage and successfully countered the Kid. He even scored a knockdown in the 7th. The decision was in no way a fault of the Kid but the crowd showed their opinion when the boo’s rung in during the post-fight interview for him. Huerta, however, was served with standing ovations as he visited all four corners.

De la Hoya-Felix Sturm 115-113 all for the Golden Boy. Similar to the Malignaggi-Diaz fight, Sturm landed more (234 to 188) but unlike that same fight, he did it with a higher percentage (43% to 23%). The back-story of this match was probably the setup for a superfight between De la Hoya and Bernard Hopkins (in which Hopkins KO’s Oscar with one punch). In a post-fight interview, De la Hoya stated that “everything went wrong tonight” although he walked away with Sturm’s belt. I’ll admit that this fight was closer than other controversial decisions but normally the champion gets the nod. AP press scored the fight a draw (114-114) while HBO had Sturm ahead by two points. I had Sturm comfortably ahead by two points as well.

Juanma Marquez-Manny Pacquiao 1—Draw. Burt Clements scored the first round 10-7. There were three knockdowns and Pacquiao had clearly blasted Marquez in the opening round, the natural scoring should’ve been 10-6. The end result for Clement’s card? 113-113. With the normal bickering between close fights aside, this is a simple case of NOT knowing how to add/subtract. In the eyes of many fans, and myself, it is just ridiculous that a simple mathematical error cannot be corrected. It’s not like we’re allowing another round, but we are simply asking for the correct tallies. Much to anyone’s dismay, the score stands and the result is a draw. I had Pacquiao up 113-112, the score that Clements would’ve ended on had he correctly scored the bout.

Rocky Juarez-Chris John—Draw (114-114). At the same venue and state as Saturday’s debacle of a fight score, Juarez battles John to a disputed draw. This was another close fight that was more than deserving of a Chris John win. I had it 116-112.
I know I said I wouldn’t mention controversial decisions from too far in the past but I cannot overlook the “long count” between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship. This fight took place in the mid 1920’s at Soldier Field with a crowd of 100,000 plus. Ring-side spectators recall that it took the champion approximately 15 seconds to get to his feet. The ref, Dave Barry, spent the first couple seconds guiding Dempsey to a neutral corner before administering a brand new count therefore giving Tunney the legendary “long count”.

Another fight that had me barely holding my head on is the Roy Jones Jr daylight robbery at the 88’ Olympics. Park Si Hun, a South Korean, was behind in the eyes of just about every single viewer. A South Korean radio covering the fight even stated that “Hun needed a knockout to win the gold as he was hopelessly behind on points.” Even the referee’s jaw dropped. 

I am awe-struck by the fact that there are no checks and balances for the panel that ultimately decides an athlete’s future. It’s a shame that such a serious offense can go unobserved! For one, after the Diaz fight, Malignaggi hit it dead on when he said that he is now forced to be a “money” fighter—nothing more than a journeyman. And Diaz, well, he’ll be on to bigger and better things.

One first step that all sanctioning bodies can take is to develop some sort of checks and balances. This is a lot to ask for considering there are different rules for different arenas but when it gets to the point where we can’t even correct the wrong score addition for a judge, then what is the use of the panel anyhow? We live in an era where basketball and football officials have had a hand in “nixing” games. Why wouldn’t there be a possibility of boxing judges doing the same? I believe that part of the black eye for boxing is the “no questions asked” attitude. It’s as if they are looking to address the issue ONLY when they need to. But that time has already passed!

The addition of instant replay is great for a number of reasons. And I can only think of positive ones to be quite honest. This is a great step for boxing, now we just have to get judges who actually know the game and can add. That, one would assume, would’ve been the easier problem to rectify.

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Does Bradley make Pacquiao’s list of foes?

Posted in Amir Khan, Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Juan Diaz, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on August 5th, 2009 by admin

BY: Albert Alvarez

The Grand Arrival of Timothy Bradley? For the quick glance that I saw on Saturday night of Bradley, he sure looked real quick and very well rounded. If Pacquiao fights at 140 I would say that Pacquiao is the best at 140 then Bradley #2, but seeing that Pacquiao fights at whatever weight he negotiates, then I will go on record now to state that Bradley is the best at 140. However, the fight was still too green, anything could have happened in the later rounds. Which leads me to number 2
Nate Campbell- The word that I have been hearing from fans is that they feel that Campbell pulled a Robert Guerrero. My feel is that from what I saw, it sure seemed to me that Bradley was having his way with Nate. The thing is that Nate could have adjusted and might have given the younger Bradley some trouble. Keep in mind that we still had 9 more rounds to go. I believe that Campbell in the second half was going to get gritty with it and make a real dog fight out of it. Bradley might have still been too quick for Campbell. Campbell might have caught Bradley with something crazy. We will never truly know, which is why I love this sport.
Junior ”the Quitter” Witter- How are you gonna travel all the way from the UK to come get your title back, only to quit? Witter, say hello to gatekeeper.
Future of Devon Alexander- The 140 WBC belt holder has alot to choose from. The 140 division is wide open. We have Bradley, Campbell, Holt, Bailey, Urango, Malignaggi, Khan, Ortiz, Maidana, take your pick. For sure if I were Don King I would do a double header at St. Lou with Devon and Cory.
Manny Pacquiao’s Future opponents- Ok, so first of all I love the article in the newest Ring Magazine where the writer takes a stab at who the Pac-Man should face next. Only fighter that had no business being on the list was Kelly Pavlik, Pavlik!! Kelly Pavlik? Are you kidding me? Knowing Roach, Roach would try to drain the 6′1” Pavlik to 147 to even come to mind. After Cotto, My top 10 would be as follows.
#1- Floyd Mayweather Jr.
#2- Shane Mosley
#3- Juan Manuel Marquez
#4- Timothy Bradley
#5- Andre Berto
#6- Edwin Valero
#7- Juan Diaz
#8- Victor Ortiz
#9- Amir Khan
#10- Juan Manuel Lopez
Shane Mosley- I haven’t heard on who Mosley will face next, But I will say that I heard Bradley say that he wants only the big names now. I feel that with Bradley being from Cali and with Mosley being the King of Cali, this fight would do very well at the Staples Center. Since both Timothy Bradley and Shane Mosley are such nice guys, the fight should be billed, No More Mr. Nice Guy!!

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Hatton-Pacquiao Special or Spectacular

Posted in Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on March 15th, 2009 by admin

BY : Rota Em

The fight between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao will be nothing short of spectacular. Both fighters have been radiating confidence throughout their much anticipated press tour across Hatton’s home turf. Although the Hitman has been known to run on empty in the late stages of some recent bouts, much of that conditioning problem has to do with him ballooning some 35, 40 pounds in between fights. After wrapping up the promotional tour with Pacquiao, who is on his first ever trip to the UK, Ricky reiterated how much he wants the mythical pound-for-pound title and asserts that he is already in top physically track. “I’m in fantastic condition already that just shows how much I’m up for this fight… Manny leaves himself open, there is no reason why I shouldn’t be confident,” says Hatton.
For Manny, his first trip to England was as pleasant as can be. Overwhelmed by thousands of Filipino supporters Manny, AKA Mr. Nice Guy considering all the charity he’s dipped his hands into lately, sticks to the more personal side of the verbal exchange. “Freddie Roach is my best friend,” stated Pacquiao. And in addressing how he plans to handle Ricky’s power, Manny says, “Hatton hits very hard… He is bigger than I am but this is not about big. It’s about punching hard and being effective.” And he cannot be more on the money.

In going over the press tour statements and after seeing these two stand toe-to-toe, a couple things came to mind.
First, I couldn’t help but notice how explicit Ricky Hatton was on his game plan and intentions for Pacquiao’s aggressive style. All the while Manny makes a joke regarding the phenomenal turnout from his countrymen saying, “Although it’s Hatton’s place, I think Manchester is now ‘Mannychester’!” Pacquiao has always had a calm demeanor but at times it is hard to decipher underestimation from confidence.
”I know Ricky Hatton’s weakness but I do not want to discuss that,” Pacman declares to a video reporter after his press conference at the Trafford Center.
Secondly, the Hitman’s size isn’t as overwhelming as I initially thought. On paper they are the same size but it means so much more to see it in person. This is not good for England’s proud son.
The last couple years have been generous to Manny Pacquiao. After campaigning at such a low weight class in his teens, it’s truly unbelievable to see the once dirt poor Filipino grow into his own light and size. Now he’s challenging a man who has never been beaten at 10 stone (140 lbs). The outcome, however, may very well be easier to speculate when you factor in a couple noteworthy details but like everything else, will only be 20/20 in hindsight.

To date, Manny Pacquiao has dropped, stopped, and retired (on the stool) Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Oscar de la Hoya. Looking back ten years, you cannot deny the fact that the figures lining Pacman’s resume are upper echelon prizefighters.
When Pacquiao fought David Diaz, speed favored him immediately. And halfway through the fourth round a significant punch landed flush, the Manila Ice as we’ll call it for now, and it staggered Diaz. Now David was losing every round to this point and he lost every round afterwards too but this punch alone proved to be the most effective addition to the Filipino’s arsenal. And for a southpaw, a good right hook is the finest instrument to own.
Flashback to his second fight with Morales, before Erik was dropped he was hurt by a whooping right hook. Don’t believe me? Watch it for yourself <a href=”http://video.aol.com/video-detail/erik-morales-vs-manny-pacquiao-ii/1199378940”>HERE</a>. The more time Morales spent in the ring with Pacquiao, the more effective his right hand became. In the third and final meeting between them, Manny’s newfound love crept back in the game even earlier. Before being canvassed and forced to quit, he was rocked badly by, you guessed it, a right hook.

So what does this have to do with Ricky Hatton?
Well, for one I don’t consider the Hitman to be as technically sound as Marquez is, nor is he as smooth as Morales was, and he sure didn’t last the whole dance with Mayweather like Oscar did.
I’m a firm believer of the idea that Manny’s choice to pursue a fight with Ricky is safer than a third meeting with Marquez.
When you factor in the reach advantage on top of speed, it’ll be a very troublesome night for our beloved Hitman. He might just get a taste of the revamped ‘Manila Ice’ first hand. Don’t worry; the gimmicky symbol will catch back on in no time. I’m surprised this hasn’t turned up in more boxing venues of discussion. Just watch his recent fights, the right hook is as prominent as the Cotto is in MSG.

Before you scour the internet for facts to contest my reasoning, take this into consideration.
In Hatton’s win over Malignaggi, he threw exactly 516 punches and landed 124 (24%). Paulie landed 27%.
Malignaggi is a slick, speed boxer but he’s not Pacman fast. And he’s not Mayweather slick. Besides, the ‘5-KO-in-27-fights’ Magic Man had a difficult time getting past 10-loss veteran Lovemore N’dou prior to his shot at Hatton.
The 2007 meeting between the more skilled PBF and Hitman saw the punch stats heavily favoring Mayweather at 129 landed (39%) to 63 (17%) for Ricky. Enough said. Despite the horrible reffing, Hatton just wasn’t effective.
After getting tattooed to the body in a fight with Juan Urango, Hatton averaged 20 fewer punches per round over the course of the last half of the fight, which computes to half the output from the first half. The first couple rounds were easy nods in favor of Hatton but midway through the fight Urango, a natural righty fighting southpaw, began to land to Hatton’s body. He had Ricky on the retreat but did not follow up with ANYTHING from that point on. You can bet this is not what Manny, who normally throws more than his opponents, will be doing. But the damage was done and despite the large points victory, Hatton showed how a right hand can change things fast. Just like his fight with Juan Lazcano, Hatton was criticized greatly for his performance rating.

When Pacquiao fought De la Hoya, the audacious southie landed 224 out of 585 (38%) punches thrown. Oscar came out at 21%.
The toughest fights of his life were against Marquez though. When they fought to a draw, he was robbed of a win due to an incorrect points tally. And in the second match, per HBO stats, if the scorecards were based on who connects more on a round-by-round basis, Pacquiao would still get the 6-5-1- nod (115-114). And that’s not including the 3rd round knockdown, which would make it 115-113. A third fight has the potential to overshadow the original Thrilla in Manila because I think another go at it will decide a victor in convincing fashion. And why not in the Philippines? I’m sure his fanbase would appreciate the ‘walk’ to the fight as opposed to a two thousand dollar airfare expense.

With all that said, styles make fights but Hatton only has one to offer really. And I highly doubt he’ll turn to counter punching after being beat to the trigger. I’ve gone over some surface keys for Hatton in a previous article but they are all dependent on whether he can reach, control, and keep up with the quicker, more aggressive Filipino. After all, the Pacman has his own set of keys and strategies to victory too. But it looks like we’ll have to wait until the fight is closer before Roach and company start to divulge their game plan I guess. This is just a sad, sad reminder that the super showdown is still two months away. I’m sure Money May and Sugar Shane are watching, anticipating, and probably will be in attendance come May 2nd.

THE ULTIMATE PACMAN - HITMAN PREDICTION CONTEST WIN CASH PRIZES EASY TO ENTER CLICK BELOW

http://www.diamondboxing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26

Hatton Strategy: http://www.diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=6401
Pacquiao-Morales 2: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/erik-morales-vs-manny-pacquiao-ii/1199378940

 

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One on One with Nicky DeMarco from His New Gym in Staten Island, N.Y.

Posted in Amir Khan, Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on January 29th, 2009 by admin

Dr. Pietro Baio DC www.diamondboxing.com

 

On Tuesday January 27, 2009, while driving through Staten Island to get to a business meeting in NJ I stopped by Nicky DeMarco’s Gym. As I walked up the dark stair way to get to the ring I heard nothing but silence. That all changed when I stepped into the room. Nicky was busy Shadow boxing in the ring during his down time. He seemed a man determined to get back into the gym and back into the ring after not fighting for 13 months. That long of a lay off can take a lot out of you. You lose your hunger. It great to see he still had his desire and determination to make it in such a hard sport. Most people don’t understand how much boxing takes out of you mentally in and out of the ring.

Once Nicky was done with his training session I managed to get a few quick questions before he closed up shop for an hour to refuel.

 

Dr.B:

How did you get started in boxing?

Nicky:

I was always boxing since a little kid. I used to go to the gym with my grandfather.

Dr. B:

Your grandfather used to box:

Nicky:

Yeah, my grandfather was a junior welterweight champ in 1941 in the service. When he turned pro he had like 30 pro fights.

Dr. B:

What branch of the service?

Nicky:

In the Army.

I was always round boxing. I started to take it serious late because he never wanted me to do it. I was always in the gym with him. He always took me to the gym. My uncle was a karate guy. He was a seventh degree black belt. He was a fireman and turned to boxing. He did some amateur fights.

Dr.B:

What did he do as a martial artist?

Nicky:

He traveled through North and South America with Chuck Norris, and then he got hurt fighting (boxing) cops vs. fireman. I don’t know what happened. As a kid, they had something there when he was sparring. The guy hit him and he felt pressure in his head. They took him to the hospital. Long story short, now he is in nursing home in a wheel chair. That’s why never wanted me to fight. If you’re looking to do it for a living its not what it’s cracked up to be.

Dr. B:

Anything you have to say about the 4 fights that you’ve had?

Nicky:

Learning experience. Definitely a learning experience. The first two fights were pretty much lay-ups basically. The next two fights were definitely winnable. Looking back, I definitely should have won both. The third fight against Guzman in my book, there was no way I lost the fight. Good fighter. The fourth fight was January 2008 in Atlantic City. They flew in a tough kid. Everyone fights with confidence and I never thought in my weight class I’d get knocked out. In my mind, being a little guy I played every sport. Every sport I played with bigger guys. I was used to getting smashed around by bad guys. So going into any fight I always think I have the upper hand strength wise. That fight was just a reality boost. I got dropped in the first round. Which was, I feel, because of mentally not being prepared. No really wanting to fight. It being a swing bought, it was put your gloves on take them off, on and off all night. I got called out of Paulie’s dressing room ice cold they threw me in. While we go in the ring the other kid was soaking wet.

Dr. B:

Now it’s been a year and a month.

Nicky:

Yeah, I always wanted to open a gym. Even amateur wise where I can be there for the kids, guide them. I opened this up a month ago. I haven’t fought since that January 5th.

Dr. B:

You still have the desire?

Nicky.

Yeah, I love the sport. I love the training but once the business end gets behind it that where I don’t really have a love for it. I may be possibly fighting next month. I worked out a little today and we will see where it goes from there. I have 5 or 6 kids that I train going in to the (golden) gloves. That’s where I’m focusing now. I still love to train. In the right situation and right mind frame I feel I can hang with any body. Me in my weight class coming up, I’m not saying I’m better then any one, but I feel I can stay in there mentally in my position. So we will see what happens.

Dr. B:

What do you think of the guys at the top of your weight class right now?

Nicky:

It is a good division. Juan Diaz is fighting Marquez. To me Marquez might technically be one of the best guys out there. Then you have Juan Diaz that fights 12 round 3 minutes, 36 minutes he doesn’t stop punching. Its going to be a battle of whose game plan is going to out last the other. Marquez, come on, drove Pacquiao down 3 times. And Juan Diaz’s only lose was to Nate Campbell. Those are the top guys.

Dr. B:

What did you think of the Mosely vs Margarito fight?

Nicky:

Mosely fought a picture perfect fight, but maybe Margarito was a little too lax.

Dr. B:

Do you think Getting caught and having to re-tape his hands 3 times affected him?

Nicky:

Yeah, you know everybody underestimated how much of boxing is mental. At this level everyone trains hard, so when people say it was a good camp, they trained hard. A good camp means the intangibles. You know no distractions, your head being clear, and no other issues. That’s a good camp. Taping and things like that. Maybe it got to him mentally. Maybe it distracted him. Maybe he just went in there over confident. All the credit in the world to Shane Mosley. 37 years old, he looked like he was 17. Anything can happen in boxing. All the old guys are coming back.

 

DeMarco has an upcoming super featherweight bought in Staten Island February 26, 2009. Also, if your driving through Staten Island and are looking for a place to train checkout Demarco’s Gym at 101 Ellis St Staten Island, NY (718)-227-2013.

 

Dr. Pietro Baio DC
Performance Edge Chiropractic, P.C.
7315 Ave U
Brooklyn, NY 11234
(917)-309-5464
PBaio_DC@yahoo.com
myspace.com/performanceedgechiro

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One on One with Daniel Edouard the WBA Fedelatin Champion

Posted in Amir Khan, Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on January 24th, 2009 by admin

Diamond Boxing goes one on one Daniel Edouard the current WBA Fedelatin Champion:

P.G. Congratulations on your win in your last bout against Panamanian champ Edouardo Dela Cruz. You won a title in that fight. Which belt was it?

D.E. Thanks. Cruz was a tough fighter and really pressed me from the onset of the fight. I hit him with a straight right which he basically couldn’t recover from. I won the WBA Fedelatin Championship in that fight which is sort of a fringe title but a definite stepping stone. Winning my last three fights impressively have moved me up in the rankings also.

P.G. How was it fighting in Panama? The fans are very knowledgeable over there aren’t they?

D.E. It was an awesome experience fighting in Panama. Boxing is one of those unique sports that will take you around the world and visiting other countries, experiencing the beauty of other cultures is truly a dream come true.

P.G. Did you get to experience any of the Panamanian culture or was it strictly business?

D.E. You never get to experience as much as you’d like because you have to maintain your focus on your fight but I was able to see a lot of the city. Hopefully the next time I go I can visit some children’s organizations. I would love to do that.

P.G. You have a solid amateur background. Can you elaborate on your amateur experience?

D.E. I had 100 amateur fights. I think my record was 84-16-0. Most of the 16 was because of my hard head not listening to my trainers (laughing). It was a pretty good amateur career. I lost to Jeff Lacy in the Olympic Trials. Though I would’ve loved to represent the United States in the Olympics if I had known that I could have represented Haiti I would’ve done so. I don’t mean that as disrespect to USA boxing just the opportunity to be an Olympian is rare.

 P.G. How did you get into boxing?

D.E. That is a funny story. I was sitting in a barber shop waiting to get a haircut and there was a guy talking about a recent fight that he lost. So me with my big mouth started ragging the guy. I was saying stuff like he must be sorry since he lost. Luckily he was mature and didn’t get pissed. He simply gave me a phone number to a trainer and said call him and come to the gym and see if I still talk that much when I get in the ring. So next day I did and let’s just say that boxers are very well conditioned (laughing). It’s history from there.

P.G. I’ve noticed that the date of your next bout isn’t solid. Do you know when your next bout will be and who your next opponent will be?

D.E. I’m not sure when my next bout is or who my next opponent is. I’ll keep you posted on that one but I did hear that there are fighters from Australia and Panama calling out my name. We’ll see what happens. I hope they know what they’re asking for (laughing).

 

P.G. You’ve continued to change weight throughout your career. Is this an issue for you or are just trying to find your favored weight?

D.E. It’s not an issue. I made an effort to get down to 154 thinking that it would give me some physical advantages but it caused a major strain on my body going down so quickly. When I was fighting Eromosele Albert I dominated the first round buy when I went back to the corner I was out of energy. That’s not to take anything from Eromosele, he did an excellent job but that fight and my struggles to get to 154 prompted me to abandon the junior middleweight division at that moment.

P.G. Which weight do you feel most comfortable at and why?

D.E. I prefer fighting at 160 because I feel more comfortable but I wanted to give 154 a try to see how it felt and to know if I could make the weight. So I know that if I absolutely had to I could get to 154. I would just need a little more time to get there effectively.

 P.G. Is your training and weight on schedule?

D.E. I stay in shape. I’m never more than 5 or 10 pounds over my fight weight. You never know when you’re going to get that call and I don’t want to get caught off guard and out of shape. I’m training right now, staying in shape and waiting for the next opportunity to strike.

 P.G. I’ve been hearing a buzz that you are starting your own boxing promotion company?

D.E. Yes I am starting a promotion company. It’s named Haitian Sensation Promotions. There are many reasons behind it but the major one is I want to have more control over my future inside and outside the ring. There is a lot missing in boxing and I feel my company can fill a void. There is a gap in boxing promotions. It goes from club shows to major shows.

P.G. Why start your own company at this stage in your career?

D.E. There’s no middle ground for fighters to acclimate to the upper levels. I experienced that when I took on Jermaine Taylor. There is a major difference from fighting in front of hundreds of people and 10 or 20,000! We want to prep fighters for the next level. It’s sort of like visiting Orlando. Disney isn’t the only thing there. We want to be attraction that is smack in the middle. Not middle in talent but middle in terms of what has been achieved by the fighter thus far. We want to be the company that you can see 10-0 and 13-0 fighters head to head. We want to be the proving ground for fighters.

P.G. Who works with you on Haitian Sensation Promotions?

D.E. We have a small staff that is headed up by Tim Walker who sits as the CEO, smart guy; Very knowledgeable.

P.G. So charity work is a significant part of who you are. What inspires you to give back?

D.E. I don’t really look at it as charity. My inspiration is simple. That’s what is required of each of us, to help each other. So I do all I can to give hope to the hopeless. If we all took the time to help out another the world would be a way better place. I’m just doing what Jesus asked of us to do and I’m not just saying that. I feel that we are required of God to show love.

 P.G. Okay. This is a no nonsense question. Who do you most want to face in the ring at this minute and why?

D.E. Who do I want to fight? I’m not in the business of calling out fighters and it really doesn’t matter as long as it’s a fight that fans will enjoy. My two goals are to have awesome fights and bring awareness to the foundation. As my success grows so does the foundation’s presence and impact. Champions need guys to fight.

P.G. Where do you see your career going after your upcoming bout, what is your ambition?

D.E. After my next bout I see myself winning a title shot somewhere in the next two or three bouts. Provided I get the shot. My goal is to get a world title shot this year. That is my ambition and that’s what I’m going to attain.

P.G. Good luck in your upcoming bout and in the rest of your career, any last words?

D.E. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview and the fans of boxing for giving me a forum to present my talent because without you and the fans it would just be two guys fighting in the parking lot (laughing). You all bring the buzz and the hype that is so needed in the business. If anyone wants to learn more about the foundation you can get in touch with us at www.myspace.com/officialhaitiansensation or www.myspace.com/hspboxing Thank you again and God bless.

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

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Putting the Snap Back Into Your Punch

Posted in Boxing, British Boxing News, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, boxing news on January 12th, 2009 by admin

Well, the New Year is here and we are all getting back to the gym. I am sure one resolution we have all made for the New Year is to put a little more snap in our punches. Wouldn’t we all like to be able to hit a little harder, throw a little faster and decrease our shoulder injuries? I have a few tips to help accomplish just that.

 

As 2008 wound down I noticed something among amateur boxers, and even pro boxers, like Kelly Pavlik. While, most workouts seem to concentrate on pushups, bench press and dips, something is lacking. We have all forgetting to train our backs. Yes, we spend countless hours training to increase traps, and pecs, but we are totally missing our rhomboids.

 

This small muscle is one of a few muscles that helps stabilize and hold the shoulder blades to the spine. Weak rhomboids lead to shoulder instability which may cause rotator cuff injuries. Also, weak rhomboids will lead to a sloppy stance. It may even lead to an inability to keep your elbows tucked in while trying to block body shots. And the biggest thing which this weakness may cause, adding to the reason I find this so important, is a decrease in the motion of your punches.

 

Think of your arm as a whip. If you crack a whip and it’s to short it will not have the ability to hit its target or if it does will have little impact. This is what happens when as boxers we only train our pecs and traps. Stand there and put your arm straight out. Now, using just your shoulder blades, move your arm all the way forward and then all the way back. Like a seated row, but with arms never bending and only the shoulder blades moving closer to each other. Do you see that you have 6 to 12 inches of movement you’re not utilizing when you throw your punches? That’s the difference between a long whip and a short one.

 

Next, walk up to a mirror and stand relaxed. No cheating now. Look at your arms from fingers to shoulder. Do you see the top or side of your hand? If your shoulders are evenly balanced you should see the side. If you see the top of your hand, once again you have tight pecs and weak rhomboids. This is going to decrease the rotation in your punches. It’s the rotation that adds a little more power to each punch. Now, go up to the punching bag and throw a few jabs and straight punches. Do it with and without the corrections I just mentioned. Do you see a difference? Great. Now we have to work on and strengthen those rhomboids so you can maximize what you have.

 

First we can start with a few chest stretches. If the pecs are tight you’re not going to be able to get the most out of your rhomboid training. Find a corner or door way. Put your arms out to your side and bend our elbows so you make a 90 degree angle between your upper and lower arms. Now lean into the wall or into the door way. Remember to keep your shoulders down. You should feel a nice stretch across your chest. Hold it for 15 seconds. Move your arms just a little up the wall, half way between the start position and arms straight up. It should be a 45 degree move. This helps get the different muscle fibers of the chest. The next stretch is very simple and also similar to the first. Find yourself a weight bench. Lie face up on the bench. Hold your arms straight out to your sides and turn your thumb so it points to the floor and you see your palms. Let your arms just hang in this position for 15 seconds. I’ll warn you that you may feel numbness in your hands with these stretches. That just goes to show you how tight your chest is and that you need to be stretching.

 

Along with tight pecs we also have tight traps. We can stretch they trap by standing or sitting. Hold a weight that is comfortable yet heavy enough for you to feel a pull in one hand. Then gently grab your head with the free hand and pull away from the weighted hand. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat.

 

Now we can get to strengthen those rhomboids. We all now what a seated row looks like. When you get to the gym find an easy weight so you can get used to doing the exercise properly. Have a seat with your legs slightly bent, and back up straight. Now grab the bar with your arms straight out and begin to row. Concentrate on using only the shoulder blades. If you have a partner have them place their finger in the middle of your back. Squeeze your shoulder blades together so you pinch your partner’s finger in place. Remember to keep your shoulder blades down during the exercise. Your partner can help push them down if you find that to be a problem. Do 15-20 reps and 3 sets with a 15-30 second rest between sets.

 

The next exercise had you either lying on your belly on a bench, on the floor or on a stability ball. Start out with 2 lb. weight or no weight just so you get used to the movement. Arms out to your sides. Thumbs straight up. Palms towards your head. Shoulders down, towards your feet. And once again squeeze your shoulder blades together. Do 15-20 reps 3 sets and 15-30 seconds rest.

 

We can finish the rhomboid training in the same position as the last, lying on your belly. This time arms straight out like superman. Thumbs up and palms facing each other. Raise and lower your arms. Remember that the bottom of the movement should be the start position. Don’t expect large movements, because the rhomboid is not a large muscle.

 

Hope these tips help everyone start out with a knock out year. Let me know how this helps with training. Even better let me know how this helps with your next fight. For anyone who has read and utilized any of my training tips feel free to get in contact with me. Love to know how all of www.diamondboxing.com’s readers are utilizing my training and nutrition tips. Email questions to

Dr. B PBaio_DC@yahoo.com

 

 

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

 

 

Dr. Pietro Baio DC

Performance Edge Chiropractic, P.C.

7315 Ave U

Brooklyn, NY 11234

(917)-309-5464

PBaio_DC@yahoo.com

myspace.com/performanceedgechiro  

 

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Hitman Hatton Can’t Hurt What He Can’t Catch

Posted in Boxing, British Boxing News, Floyd Mayweather, Hatton vs Pacquiao, Latest boxing news, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, Uncategorized, boxing news, manny pacquiao photos on January 6th, 2009 by admin

BY: Rota Em www.diamondboxing.com

2009 needs to be a year in which boxing is revived. I disagree with Joe Calzaghe, the sport isn’t dying but on the other hand it isn’t living in luxury either. We’ll leave it at hungry, not yet starving. One fight that can help to rejuvenate the sweet science is the “Hitman” going against the “Pacman”. No, it’s not a game although some children might confuse it for such and rightfully so. But it’s really a showdown to lay claim to the 140 pound division. Ricky Hatton has held his stake at the junior welterweight level his entire career and is set to face the current p4p kingpin Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd of next year. His two vacations outside his 140-lb home in the 147-lb division were lackluster performances, at best. 147 pounds is just too heavy.

Pacquiao is looking for a fourth victory in as many divisions. He’s already solidified his place in the hall of fame, but this win will surely add extra bragging rights– not to mention an open window to a ‘fight of the decade’ against Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

In “The Dream Match” it was speed that factored in most for the Pacman. For Oscar, it should’ve been his reach. You knew it, you called it. In this match-up, reach will play the biggest role. And by reach I’m referring to Manny’s left hand lead. In fighting David Diaz, who has a 69″ reach, Manny utilized his speed to chop down the, then, champion. In comparison, Pacquiao has a 5′6″ frame with a 67″ reach. Hatton is an inch taller but loses two inches in reach to Pacquiao. Now two inches isn’t much, just ask Diaz, but two inches with lightning in the form of the left hand behind it will do considerable damage. The last time Manny had a reach advantage was when he was mugged by Agapito Sanchez in a super bantamweight title fight in which I felt Sanchez should’ve been disqualified, this was 2001 and two months after 9/11. Or put it this way that was when Manny Pacquiao was not the consensus pound for pound king. So add a couple great trilogies and genuine championship experience, and you’ll be worried if you are a Hatton fan (like myself). I followed Hatton throughout most of his career and I felt he has always been a crisp puncher. He always seemed small, physically, in the ring but he sure had some pop behind his punches. The diving hook that put Carlos Maussa to sleep came straight out of the classis Nintendo game “Punch Out”. And the swirling sound your opponent made on his way to the canvas was what I heard when Maussa was draped across the ropes, helpless. Reach will do well for Manny, but Hatton has a good chance if he fights Pacquiao like he did Jose Luis Castillo. In that fight the “Hitman” stalked his opponent and slowly worked on the body. It took him only four rounds to stop the highly durable Castillo. The result: a one punch knockout to the body. It can happen. It has happened. It might happen again. Body shots are well a part of today’s sweet science.

Which “Hitman” will show up? And how will his rough-house tactics work against a speed driven brawler like the “Pacman”? We can answer this question through facts, past fights, and fighter comparison but it all comes down to styles. I cannot think of one opponent that Manny has faced that remotely compares to Ricky Hatton, in stat or in size. The closest would have to be Diaz but there was no power behind those cannonballs of his. Ricky has power. And I can see Manny doing exactly what he did against Diaz to Hatton, and that’s because the Tasmanian devil himself wouldn’t last in a fist fight with Pacquiao. He’s just too fast. You can’t hurt what you can’t catch.

It will be another great battle for the sport.

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

 

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Pacman vs Hitman Name It!

Posted in Uncategorized on December 29th, 2008 by admin

Pacquiao (above) all smiles after his victory over De La Hoya.

 

 

BY:Robert Epstein

Thousands have voted in our poll, the results are in and by a slight margin boxing fans selected Ricky Hatton over Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the opponent they want to see in the ring next with Manny Pacquiao .The margin was very slim as 49 percent of the voters selected Hatton and 44 percent selected Mayweather.

So now the fans have spoken and the promoters Golden Boy and Top Rank are working on the details to put together Pacquiao vs Hatton. I am sure working out the details of the fight is a challenge for them however the fun comes when they select the title for this fight. It goes without saying and at this point in the year it has been written countless times that Pacquiao has achieved greatness in 2008. He is the official pound for pound king of the ring and deserves all the accolades after his victories over Marquez, Diaz and De La Hoya.

On the other hand Hatton did not have the superstar year that Pacquiao had. However, he was able to record two victories in his two fights and regain the momentum he lost after the Mayweather defeat in December 2007. Hatton under the guidance of Floyd Mayweather Sr. was able to put together a dominating performance over Paulie Malignaggi which catapulted him into the Pacquiao sweepstakes. So here we are with the books for 2008 about to close and new chapters about to be opened in 2009, with what maybe the most memorable boxing event in history about to be announced.

Ricky Hatton (above) in the media room at the Pacquiao - De La Hoya “Dream Match”

In years past both Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions have promoted great battles featuring the legends of the sport, each great fight also included a great title. As they think about the title for Pacquiao – Hatton here are some of their greatest event titles and battles from their past promotions to help spark their thought process:

1985 - “The Fight” - Hagler vs Hearns

1986 - “SuperFight” - Hagler vs. Leonard

1990 - “The Puncher and the Preacher” - Foreman vs. Cooney

1990 - “Once Is Not Enough” - Toney vs. McCallum

1991 - “Battle of the Ages” - Foreman vs. Holyfield

1993 - “Heavy Damage” - Foreman vs. Coetzer

1996 - “Ultimate Glory” - De La Hoya vs. Chavez

1997 - “Buster on Broadway” - Douglas vs. Ryan in NYC

1999 - “Fight of the Millenium” - De La Hoya vs. Trinidad

 2002 - “Bad Blood” - De La Hoya vs Vargas

2006 - “Sworn Enemies” - Mayweather vs. Judah

2007 - “War For Four” - Morales vs. Diaz

2007- “Fast and Furious” Cotto vs Mosley

2008 - “The Battle” - Cotto vs. Margarito

2008 - “Unstoppable” - Pavlik vs. Hopkins

2008 – “Dream Match” – Pacquiao vs De La Hoya

For Pacquiao first it was the epic rematch battle with Juan Manuel Marquez which was labeled as “Unfinished Business “sandwiched in between the De La Hoya “Dream Match” we had Pacquiao Diaz “Lethal Combination”. As for Hatton his fight with Malignaggi was called “Power vs Precision”. So what will the marketing geniuses at Top Rank and Golden Boy come up with for their megasode of Pacman vs Hitman?

 We have asked around and here are some of the suggestions we got         

“Battle of the Generation”

“Battle of the Planets”

” Total Collision”

” Clash of the Storms”

“Collision Course”

“Thunder vs Lightening”

“New Horizons”

My personal favorite title is Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans” both fighters have huge fan bases in their own countries and beyond. When Pacquiao fights the Philippines is at a standstill so that they can watch their hero. Hatton fans travel by the tens of thousands to see him fight, which make him the leading box office draw. The fans provide the energy, support and desire they need to reach beyond expectations.  Pacman and Hitman inside the ring always demonstrate their loyalty to their fans with their attacking and never give up styles. So why not title this one Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans      

 

Please email me your title suggestions to rob@diamondboxing.com

Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com 

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